The present invention relates to the formation of organosilicon esters and amides and more specifically, to the formation of organosilicon esters and amides using an enzymatic route and to the organosilicon esters and amides formed thereby.
Ester and polyester compounds may be synthesized with an acid or base catalyst at high temperatures for long periods. Although these reaction conditions favor the equilibrium of polycondensation, they also promote uncontrolled side reactions, redistribution of monomers sequences, cross linking, and broad molecular weight distributions. Additionally, the typical acid and base catalysts are not regioselective and may catalyze esterification at all reactive groups on a polyfunctional monomer. The acid and base catalysts may cause the decomposition of potentially useful functional groups, such as epoxy groups, and bonds, such as siloxane bonds. Thus, the ability to control the material structure is essentially lost.
Traditional methods of synthesizing amide compounds may not be selective. For example, the methods may not be regioselective and/or enantioselective. Therefore, methods of synthesizing amides may not provide the ability to control the material structure.
Thus, the need remains in the relevant art for improved methods of forming structurally defined organosilicon esters and amides, and the need remains in the relevant art for more structurally defined organosilicon esters and amides.